Pesticidal preparation and method of use



United States Patent 3,421,883 PESTICIDAL PREPARATION AND METHOD OF USE Otto Rohr, Neu-Allschwil, Switzerland, assignor to Ciba Limited, Basel, Switzerland, a Swiss company No Drawing. Original application Jan. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 339,818, now Patent No. 3,329,702, dated July 4, 1967. Divided and this application Mar. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 635,286

Claims priority, application Switzerland, Jan. 29, 1963,

1,086/ 63 US. Cl. 71--105 Int. Cl. A61k 13/00; A01n 9/22 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pesticidal preparation, more especially an insecticidal, herbicidal and microbicidal preparation, which comprises as active substance a compound of the general formula This application is a division of application Ser. No. 339,818, Filed Jan. 23, 1964, now US. Patent 3,329,702.

The present invention provides a pesticidal preparation, more especially an insecticidal, herbicidal and microbicidal preparation, which comprises as active substance a compound of the general formula wherein R and R are identical or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, preferably a chlorine atom, an alkoxy radical containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms or the group -NO R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R represents an alkyl radical containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms-and, if desired, one or more of the following additives: a solvent, a diluent, a dispersing agent, a wetting agent, an adhesive and other pesticides. Especially good results have been obtained when using preparations that contain as active substance, a compound of the general formula "ice wherein R represents a methyl or ethyl radical.

The new preparations are especially suitable for combating harmful insects, for example, excellent results have been obtained against flies, for example, Musca domestica and midges and midge larvae, especially Aedes aegyptii. In this application, the new preparations act as stomach and contact poisons. The preparations of the invention are also suitable for use as total or selective weed killers, as defoliating preparations, for example in cotton cultures, also for combating harmful micro-organisms, above all phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi.

The compounds of the general Formula I, and especially those of the general Formula II, are distinguished by their surprisingly low toxicity towards warm-blooded beings.

The compound of the formula 0 0-i'1NH-0Ha is especially effective against harmful insects and has an especially low toxicity towards warm-blooded beings.

The new compounds of the general Formula I can be manufactured by known methods, for example by reacting a compound of the general formula R1 R1 wherein R and R have the same meanings as in the general Formula I, with an alkylisocyanate, in the presence of an inert organic solvent, for example ether.

As mentioned above, the new preparations may contain various additives in addition to a new active substance of the general Formula I or II. Accordingly, the new active substances have various ways of application which are described in detail below.

The spray solutions for immediate use contain, for example, petroleum fractions having medium to high boiling point, more especially those boiling above C. for example diesel oil or kerosene, also coal tar oil or oils of vegetable or animal origin, also hydrocarbon-s for example alkylated naphthalenes, tetraphydronaphtahlene, xylene mixtures, cyclohexanols and, if desired, also ketones, chlorinated hydrocarbons, for example tetrachloroethane, trichloroethylene or trichlorobenzenes and tetrachlorobenzenes.

In preparing aqueous preparations of the compounds of the invention use is made of emulsion concentrates, pastes or wettable spray powders, with addition of water. As suitable emulsifiers or dispersants there may be mentioned, non-ionic products, for example condensation products of aliphatic alcohols, amines or carboxylic acids having a long-chain hydrocarbon radical of about to 30 carbon atoms with ethylene oxide, for example the condensation product of octadecyl alcohol with to mols of ethylene oxide, or of soyabean fatty acids with 30 mols of ethylene oxide, or of commercial oleylamine with 15 mols of ethylene oxide, or of dodecylmercaptan with 12 mols of ethylene oxide. There may also be used condensation products of ethylene oxide with hydroaromatic polycyclic carboxylic acids or amines. Among the suitable anionic emulsifiers there may be mentioned: the sodium salt of dodecyl alcohol sulphuric acid ester, the sodium salt of dodecyl benzenesulphonic acid, the potassium or triethanolamine salt of oleic acid or of abietic acid or of mixtures of these two acids, or the sodium salt of a petroleum-sulphonic acid. Suitable cationic dispersants are quaternary ammonium and phosphonium compounds, for example cetyl pyridinium chloride or dihydroxyethylbenzyl dodecyl ammonium chloride.

When the new preparations are to be used as dusting or casting agents they may contain, as solid vehicles, talcum, kaolin, bentonite, sand, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, or coal, cork meal and wood meal and other materials of vegetable origin. The various preparations may incorporate the usual additives capable of improving the distribution, adhesion or penetration. As such substances, there may be mentioned fatty acids, resins, adhesives, casein or, for example, alginates. It is also very advantageous to use the preparations in granular form. The new compounds may be the only active substances present in the pesticides, or there may be other insecticides, acaricides, nematocides, molluscicides, herbicides or fungicides also present. These preparations are employed in plant protection and in hygiene by the usual spraying, pouring, dusting and fumigating methods.

The present invention further includes the compounds of the above general Formulae I and II as such, as well as their manufacture by known methods.

The following examples illustrate the invention, the parts and percentages being by weight.

EXAMPLE 1 l CN melting at 114 to 116 C.

(b) 17.9 parts of 2-cyanophenol were reacted with 9.5 parts of methylisocyanate as described under (a) above and the reaction product was recrystallized from a mixture of acetone and benzine, to yield 22 parts of the compound of the formula l C N melting at 115 to 117 C.

(c) 23.8 parts of Z-cyanophenol were reacted with 15.6 parts of ethylisocyanate as described under (a) above, and the reaction product was recrystallized from a mixture of benzene and petroleum ether, to yield 29.5 parts of the compound of the formula ll Q-o- 4111-0255 which boiled at C. under 0.01 mm. Hg pressure. Melting point: 42 to 44 C.

In a manner analogous to that described above under (a) to (d), the following compounds can be prepared:

EXAMPLE 2 A spray powder of the following composition was manufactured:

50% of one of the active substances listed in Example 1 under (a) to (m),

25% of bolus alba (kaolin),

20% of finely divided silica (product marketed under the trademark Hisil),

3.5% of a condensation product from 1 mol of dodecylmercaptan and 12 mols of ethylene oxide,

1.5% of a condensation product of para-nonylphenol and 9 mols of ethylene oxide.

The resulting, finely ground mixture could be diluted with water in any desired proportion, to form a spray broth ready for use.

EXAMPLE 3 (a) The compound of the formula was tested for its effect as a contact poison on the house fly (Musca domestica), the tests being carried out in the following manner:

Two solutions of the above compound in acetone were prepared, one of 0.001% strength and the other of 0.0005% strength, 1 cc. of each acetone solution was introduced into the bottom and top halves of Petri dishes having a diameter of about 10 cm. and the solvent was then all-owed to evaporate. 10 flies were then placed in each dish, the dishes were closed, and after a lapse of two hours the number of flies that could not walk and were in a recumbent position was counted. These tests were repeated six times.

The effect of the above compound on Musca domestica was, at a concentration of 0.001% complete (100% and at a concentration of 0.0005% it was of the order of 93%.

A similar effect was achieved with the compound described in Example 1(d).

Good insecticidal effects were also achieved with the compounds described in Example 1 under (c) and (e) to (i).

(b) The following kinds of plants were planted in pots: Hardeum sativum, Beta vulgaris, Calena'ula chrysantha, Linum usitatissimum, Medicago sativa, Brassica rwpa, Daucus carota and Spinacea o leracea. The treatment was carried out 12 days after seeding, when the first pair of foliage leaves had developed. The plants were treated with a spray broth, prepared as described in Ex ample 2, containing as active substance 2-cyano-4-chlorophenyl-N-ethylcarbamate. The amount applied corre' sponded to 10 kg. of active substance per hectare. It was found that days after the treatment, the plants mentioned had died off completely or had been substantially completely destroyed so that they could not recover.

A similar effect was obtained with the compounds described in Example 1 under (e) and (g) to (m).

(c) Celery plants were treated with a spray broth, prepared as described in Example 2, containing 0.2% of the active substance of the formula described in Example 1 under (g).

2 days after the treatment, the celery plants were infected with a spore suspension of Septoria apii, and the plants were then kept for 2 days in an incubation chamber at a relative atmospheric humidity of to at 22 to 26 C. On evaluation, it was found that the effect attained against Septoria apii, was 100%.

What is claimed is:

1. A preparation for combating pests comprising a pesticidal amount of a compound of the formula wherein R and R each represents a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a chlorine atom, a lower alkoxy radical and the group NO R represents a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom and a lower alkyl radical and R represents a lower alkyl radical and in addition thereto a carrier.

2. The method for combating pests which comprises applying to the area in which the said effect is desired a pesticidal amount of a compound of the formula wherein R and R each represents a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a chlorine atom, a lower alkoxy radical and the group NO R represents a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom and a lower alkyl radical and R represents a lower alkyl radical.

3. The method for combating harmful insects which comprises applying to the area in which the said effect is desired an insecticidal amount of a compound of the formula set forth in claim 2.

4. The method for combating harmful microbes which comprises applying to the area in which the said effect is desired a microbicidal amount of a compound of the formula set forth in claim 2.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,933,383 4/1960 Lambrech 7l---106 3,140,167 7/1964 Haubein 71-106 FOREIGN PATENTS 902,586 8/1962 Great Britain.

JAMES O. THOMAS, JR., Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1.X.R. 424-300 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,421,883 January 14, 1969 Otto Rohr It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, lines 35 to 43, the formula should appear as sh( below:

ll 0 R Signed and sealed this 24th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

